The electrification of transport is no longer an experiment — it’s mainstream. As the number of electric vehicles (EVs) and public charging points grows, the industry faces a new set of frictions: fragmented payment methods, inconsistent user experiences, and complex integrations between vehicle manufacturers, charging-station operators, and payment networks.
To address these issues, two influential organizations — CharIN (the Charging Interface Initiative) and EMVCo (the global technical body behind EMV® specifications) — have launched a joint special project to advance payment solutions for EV charging. Their work aims to combine EMV®-based open payment methods with vehicle-centric flows such as ISO 15118’s “Plug & Charge,” creating a simpler, secure, and more interoperable charging experience.
Who are CharIN and EMVCo?
CharIN is an industry association founded to promote interoperable charging solutions — notably the Combined Charging System (CCS) in Europe — and today covers a broad range of e-mobility topics by convening automakers, charging providers, utilities, and technology vendors. CharIN’s remit includes technical interoperability, testing, and promoting standards that smooth the EV charging ecosystem.
EMVCo, jointly owned by major payment brands, manages EMV® technical specifications and programs that underpin much of card- and token-based payments globally. Historically, EMVCo’s work has centered on secure chip and contactless card payments, but the organization has been exploring how EMV technology can be adapted to new use cases — including EV charging — where secure, credentialed payments are critical.
Why this collaboration matters
Today’s EV charging payment landscape is fragmented: some stations accept contactless bank cards, others require apps and accounts, and many OEM-specific “plug-and-charge” flows rely on in-vehicle certificates and back-end trust frameworks (ISO 15118). Drivers want to plug in and walk away; operators want reliable, auditable billing; and payment networks want secure, standardized acceptance.
The CharIN–EMVCo project intends to bridge these worlds by aligning EMV-based open payments — the infrastructure that supports card payments and tokenization — with ISO 15118 Plug & Charge authentication and authorization flows. The objective: let drivers use familiar EMV payment methods (cards, wallets, tokens) and/or fully automated vehicle-driven authentication in a way that is secure and interoperable across charge points and vehicles.
Technical approach: EMV open payments + ISO 15118
There are two complementary approaches to charging payments that this project seeks to reconcile:
- EMV-based open payments: These are familiar payment rails — contactless cards, mobile wallets, and tokenized payments — that can be accepted at charge points much like retail terminals accept cards today. EMVCo has been developing an “EV Open Payments” (EVOP) concept and has sought industry feedback on how to map EMV transaction flows to the unique requirements of EV charging (longer sessions, metered energy, tariffs, refunds, authorization holds, etc.).
- ISO 15118 Plug & Charge: This vehicle-centric protocol enables the car itself to authenticate to the charging station and the backend (often via certificates and a PKI), allowing fully automatic authorization and billing without driver interaction. While Plug & Charge provides great UX, its backend trust models and certificate management must align with payment ecosystems and commercial settlement flows. CharIN has long supported work around ISO 15118 and payment authorization at charging points.
The joint project aims to define how these two approaches can coexist and interoperate. That means specifying how an EMV authorization (or tokenized payment) can be invoked or referenced in a Plug & Charge session, how holds and final settlement for long-duration charging sessions should be handled, and how roaming and cross-operator settlement will work when different payment and vehicle ecosystems meet at the charge point.
Benefits: For Drivers, Operators, and the Payments Ecosystem
If successful, the initiative promises several practical benefits:
- Seamless driver experience: Drivers could use contactless cards, wallets, or their vehicle’s Plug & Charge identity interchangeably — plugging in would work smoothly whether the EV or the card is the credential.
- Wider acceptance and convenience: Charging operators could accept conventional EMV payments without forcing drivers to create operator accounts or manage multiple apps. This could lower barriers to ad-hoc charging and support rapid EV adoption.
- Security and trust: EMV specifications and ISO 15118 each bring security models; aligning them reduces fraud surface and clarifies where liability and cryptographic assurances live.
- Interoperability and roaming: Standardized mappings make it easier for different charge-point networks, automakers, and payment providers to interwork — critical for cross-border travel and fleet operations.
Challenges and Open Questions
There are technical and commercial challenges to solve. Charging sessions are often long and metered — initial authorizations (or holds) must be sized appropriately and settlement handled once the final energy amount is known.
ISO 15118’s certificate-based flows require careful PKI management and trust lists; EMV tokenization and acquirer routing bring their own constraints. Further, regulatory and tax rules vary by jurisdiction and can complicate how charges, surcharges, and refunds are processed. EMVCo and CharIN will need to harmonize technical specs while considering regional legal and commercial realities.
What’s Next
EMVCo has already been engaging industry stakeholders through task forces and draft materials (seeking feedback on an EV Open Payments solution), while CharIN has been convening technical focus groups and publishing studies on payment authorization and ad-hoc charging.
The joint special project — announced in September 2025 — formalizes collaboration between the two bodies to produce concrete guidance and mappings that charging-station manufacturers, automakers, payment processors, and network operators can implement. Expect a period of technical design, public consultation, interoperability testing, and pilot deployments over the months that follow.
Conclusion
CharIN and EMVCo’s collaboration represents an important step toward removing one of the friction points in everyday EV use: payments. By aligning EMV’s well-understood, globally deployed payment technologies with vehicle-driven ISO 15118 flows, the industry can move closer to a future where “plug and pay” is as simple as pumping gas once was — but more secure, interoperable, and driver-friendly.
The work ahead involves complex technical integration and policy coordination, but the potential payoff — seamless ad-hoc charging, broader acceptance, and reduced driver friction — makes the initiative one of the most consequential cross-industry efforts in the EV space today.